B-17 43-37999 487BG lost in Belgium in 1945

[Alain57]

Hi ,

Can someone help me with the exact date B-17 42-37999 was lost over Belgium and ended up at A-92 St-Trond airfield.
Greets
Alain57

[Stig Jarlevik]

Alain

The only date I have is 14 April 1945

Cheers
Stig

[Buckeye30]

Stig I think more likely to be April 10, the Brandenburg Mission (938) as in the 487BG records, the 14th April Mission (948) was to the Bordeaux area so I don't think she would end up in Belgium.

She was 4F-M "Lecherous Lou" from the 837BS. Pilot 1/Lt. Julian Headley.

(42-37999 was in the Night Leaflet Sqn.).
Regards
Nick

[Luc Vervoort]

Alain,

On 10/04/1945 Terry J.Orchard landed '999 at Brustem (source reel B0648 p.2139).

Some additional details can be found at https://www.americanairmuseum.com/ar...erry-j-orchard

Best regards, m vr gr

Luc

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Nick and Luc

Wonder why all books and Internet B-17 sites insist it was on the 14th?

Cheers
Stig

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi Stig,

The Cumulative Loss Listing of aircraft (reel A5686 p.749 ) mentions for this aircraft both dates on the same line. First '100445' followed by '1404'. Like for other aircraft the second date is later than the first date. Perhaps the first date mention the date of the cause of the loss and the second one the date of the official confirmation that the aircraft had to be considered as lost. Perhaps the IARC of this aircraft contains more details.
Best regards
Luc

[Alain57]

Thank you all for the help.
Alain57

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks again Luc

All my sources say it was a mission to Brandenburg (just like Nick said) so I wonder if
these dates should be interpreted as date of action 10 April and SOC 14 April.
If so the dates would make sense!

Cheers
Stig

[Buckeye30]

The 3rd.AD targets on the 10th were airfields in the Brandenburg area including Briest, Stendal and Zerbst; these are a target photo (Briest) and a US 1943 location map.

In Freeman's "Mighty Eighth War Diary" there is a photo of 44-8702 2G-S from the 487th hit by Flak over the target.
Nick



http://www.487thbg.org/Photos/19450410_Briest.shtml


https://www-mil--airfields-de.transl...pto=sc#oer1257